NEPC targets stronger export base for cashew, soya, sesame bean among Kwara stakeholders

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has intensified efforts to boost Kwara State’s contribution to Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings with a renewed drive to develop export clusters around cashew, sesame seeds, and soya beans.

The initiative took centre stage at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on export cluster development in Ilorin, where government officials, farmers, exporters, and private sector operators identified key strategies to unlock the state’s export potential.

Speaking at the meeting, the NEPC Kwara State Coordinator, Mr. Olu Ikulajolu, said that although sesame is not widely cultivated in the state, extensive consultations and research have shown that the crop thrives there due to its favourable climate and soil conditions, similar to Niger and Kogi states where sesame production has flourished.

The NEPC boss also said that cashew was included among the priority commodities following its impressive export performance in 2025, ranking as one of Nigeria’s leading export products.

According to him, Nigeria recorded about $1.6 billion in non-oil exports in 2025 — the highest since the establishment of the NEPC in 1976. However, Kwara State accounted for only about $5.8 million, a figure he described as far below the state’s potential.

He attributed the low performance partly to the absence of aggregation centres and structured channels for capturing export activities taking place within the state.

“Our objective is to improve Kwara’s export performance through the establishment of functional export clusters. By bringing together producers, processors, marketers and exporters of similar commodities, we can improve productivity, quality and access to international markets,” he said.

The NEPC official also said that an export cluster is a coordinated network of stakeholders engaged in the same value chain, working together to strengthen production, processing, and marketing for export.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mallam Idris Mohammed, acknowledged the potential of sesame production in the state.

He disclosed that his first attempt at cultivating sesame in 2025 was unsuccessful due to poor planting methods and unfavourable rainfall, but expressed optimism over this year’s production, saying it is showing encouraging signs.

Mohammed observed that most local sesame buyers currently operating in Kwara State are from outside the state, underscoring the need to develop indigenous participation in the value chain.

He identified insecurity as one of the greatest threats to agricultural production, saying it has limited farmers’ access to their farms and discouraged investment in the sector.

On cashew production, the Permanent Secretary said many plantations are located in remote areas where farmers face persistent challenges from insecurity and encroachment.

He recommended the establishment of produce collection centres close to major towns, provision of motorcycles for produce aggregation, deployment of security personnel to protect farms, and stronger collaboration with traditional rulers to guarantee community support for investors and exporters.

He also advocated easier access to loans for local farmers, regular remuneration for farm managers, and closer supervision of farming activities to improve productivity.

Also speaking, the Head of Department of Agriculture at the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr. Popoola O. Peter, commended the NEPC for bringing stakeholders together.

He stressed the need for stronger support for farmers, improved land access, and a more enabling environment for agricultural production, noting that sustainable development of export crops would require deliberate investment in farming communities.

Dr. Popoola added that improved security remains critical to attracting young people into agriculture and safeguarding investments in export-oriented farming.

The Vice President (Agriculture) of the Kwara Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KWACCIMA), Alhaji Ibrahim Adebayo, clarified that the NEPC’s mandate is to promote exports rather than provide direct funding to farmers.

He urged the Kwara State Government and relevant agencies to provide the necessary support that would enable farmers to expand cultivation of the three selected commodities.

According to him, available agricultural data already indicate that cashew, sesame, and soya beans are among the crops with the greatest comparative advantage in Kwara State.

“If these three commodities have been identified as our priority export crops, then stakeholders must work together to increase production and strengthen their competitiveness in the international market,” he said.

The Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Mr. Olawoyin Yinka Solomon, also highlighted insecurity as a major threat to agricultural production, warning that continued attacks on farming communities could result in shortages of export commodities.

He called for regular training for farmers and exporters, proper registration of commodity associations, improved access to certified seeds, and the establishment of reliable off-taker arrangements to protect farmers from exploitation by middlemen.

He further noted that soya bean production requires improved processing and post-harvest handling to maximise its export value.

Stakeholders at the meeting unanimously agreed that developing structured export clusters for cashew, sesame, and soya beans would improve production, attract investment, create jobs, and significantly increase Kwara State’s contribution to Nigeria’s non-oil export earnings.